1982 in Australia

1982 in Australia
The following lists events that happened during 1982 in Australia.
Incumbents
Monarch – Elizabeth II
Governor-General – Sir Zelman Cowen (until 29 July), then Sir Ninian Stephen
Prime Minister – Malcolm Fraser
Deputy Prime Minister – Doug Anthony
Opposition Leader – Bill Hayden
Chief Justice – Sir Harry Gibbs
State and territory leaders
Premier of New South Wales – Neville Wran
Opposition Leader – John Dowd
Premier of Queensland – Joh Bjelke-Petersen
Opposition Leader – Ed Casey (until 20 October), then Keith Wright
Premier of South Australia – David Tonkin (until 10 November), then John Bannon
Opposition Leader – John Bannon (until 10 November), then John Olsen
Premier of Tasmania – Harry Holgate (until 26 May), then Robin Gray
Opposition Leader – Robin Gray (until 26 May), then Ken Wriedt
Premier of Victoria – Lindsay Thompson (until 8 April), then John Cain Jr.
Opposition Leader – John Cain Jr. (until 8 April), then Lindsay Thompson (until 5 November), then Jeff Kennett
Premier of Western Australia – Sir Charles Court (until 25 January), then Ray O'Connor
Opposition Leader – Brian Burke
Chief Minister of the Northern Territory – Paul Everingham
Opposition Leader – Bob Collins
Chief Minister of Norfolk Island – David Buffett
Governors and administrators
Governor of New South Wales – Sir James Rowland
Governor of Queensland – Sir James Ramsay
Governor of South Australia – Sir Keith Seaman (until 28 March), then Sir Donald Dunstan (from 23 April)
Governor of Tasmania – Sir Stanley Burbury (until 16 March), then Sir James Plimsoll (from 1 October)
Governor of Victoria – Sir Henry Winneke (until 28 February), then Sir Brian Murray
Governor of Western Australia – Sir Richard Trowbridge
Administrator of Norfolk Island – Thomas Paterson (until 27 January), then Raymond Trebilco
Administrator of the Northern Territory – Eric Johnston
Events
January
5 January – Sir William McMahon announces his retirement from politics after 32 years. His resignation comes at an awkward time for the Federal Government, not keen to test its mid-term popularity in so vulnerable a seat as Lowe.
February
2 February – Lindy Chamberlain is committed for trial for the murder of her daughter Azaria.
5 February – A Cessna 411A aircraft crashes into a building at Archerfield Airport. The pilot and four people within the building are killed.
February 14 Devo on Countdown Tour Rockout Band
March
20 March – Thousands of people walked across the Sydney Harbour Bridge to mark its 50th anniversary.
April
3 April – After almost 27 years in power, the Liberal/National coalition government is voted out in Victoria & is replaced by the ALP
6 April – Sir Phillip Lynch steps down as Liberal Party Deputy Leader after 10 years in the position, leaving the way clear for " a younger man".
8 April –
Andrew Peacock fails in his bid to topple Malcolm Fraser as Liberal leader and Prime Minister, by a 27:54 margin. Treasurer John Howard beats Michael MacKellar 45:27 for the position of Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party.
The XPT (Express Passenger Train) commences operation in New South Wales.
11 April – Business entrepreneur and adventurer Dick Smith makes a record solo helicopter flight from Sydney to Bundaberg.
16 April – Archbishop John Grindrod is appointed as Anglican Primate of Australia, succeeding Sir Marcus Loane.
19 April – Federal Health Minister Michael MacKellar and Customs and Excise Minister John Moore resign over Michael MacKellar's failure to declare and pay duty on a colour television set in October 1981.
May
11 May – High Court upholds the Racial Discrimination Act 1975 in Koowarta v Bjelke-Petersen, effectively extending Commonwealth power.
15 May – In the middle of the Franklin Dam dispute, the Labor government of Harry Holgate is voted out in Tasmania & replaced by the Liberal Party, led by Robin Gray.
June
5 June – The Premiers and the Commonwealth agree to abolish appeals from the State Supreme Courts to the Privy Council, thus making the High Court of Australia the final court of appeal. Several of the few remaining constitutional links with Britain are also to be severed.
18 June – The South Australian Government passes legislation authorising the development of the Roxby Downs copper-uranium deposit, despite controversy over the issue.
21 June – The Queensland Art Gallery within the Queensland Cultural Centre is opened. The cost had blown out from the original estimate of $10 million to $28 million.
July
7 July – The Australian Labor Party reverses its policy on uranium mining to allow for the continuation of existing projects.
16 July – In response to a leadership challenge by Bob Hawke (which came to a head during the Australian Labor Party National Conference), Bill Hayden resigns, and in a secret vote, retains the leadership by a close 42:37.
29 July – Sir Ninian Stephen succeeds Sir Zelman Cowen as Governor-General of Australia.
31 July – The Lyric Opera of Queensland is established.
August
2 August – The Daily Sun newspaper begins publication in Brisbane.
8 August – The Dalai Lama visits Australia to mark the 30th anniversary of the establishment of Buddhism in the country.
15 August – Queensland Government workers, including railway employees, walk out for two days in support of shorter working hours and a general strike results.
24 August –
The fourth interim report of the Costigan Royal Commission into the Ships Painters and Dockers' Union begins a series of revelations about tax fraud which implicates senior public servants and members of the Liberal Party. The report highlights tax-avoidance schemes, including "bottom of the harbour" plans. The resulting furor ends speculation about an early election.
The strike in Queensland ends when unions capitulate before the government's adamant attitude on the issue.
September
26 September – Parachutist Rich Collins accidentally reaches an altitude of during a jump; short of oxygen, he releases his main parachute to lower himself and lands on his reserve chute.
30 September – A Cessna 210-5 vanishes on a flight from Atherton to Mount Isa. The five people aboard are presumed to have perished.
October
11 October – Andrew Peacock becomes Industry and Commerce Minister after 18 months on the backbench when ill-health forces Sir Phillip Lynch's resignation from the position and from Parliament.
12 October – Elizabeth II officially opens the new building of the National Gallery of Australia in Canberra.
November
6 November – Elections in South Australia see the voting out of the Liberal/National coalition, led by David Tonkin & the election of the ALP, led by John Bannon.
10 November – Tasmania's most infamous murder case occurs when lawyer Randall Askeland beats his wife, Wendy Mold, to death with an iron bar whilst she is asleep.
December
1 December – The Commonwealth Freedom of Information Act becomes operative.
14 December – The Tasmanian Wilderness Society, led by Bob Brown, stages a blockade of the Franklin Dam site in Tasmania which continues into 1983. On the same day, UNESCO agrees to list the Tasmanian Wild Rivers as a World Heritage Site.
17 December – Random Breath Testing is introduced in New South Wales.
31 December – The Australian Women's Weekly is first published as a monthly magazine.
One of Australia's worst-ever droughts strikes the country.
Arts and literature
Rodney Hall's novel Just Relations wins the Miles Franklin Award
Film
The Man from Snowy River
Monkey Grip
The Year of Living Dangerously
Television
18 January – Sons and Daughters premieres on the Seven Network.
28 June – The Nine Network premieres its new breakfast TV show, National News Today, which is later shortened to Today
Nine, Seven & the ABC conduct stereo test transmissions
Sport
The South Melbourne Swans move to Sydney & become the Sydney Swans.
The Canberra Raiders and Illawarra Steelers are introduced in the 1982 NSWRFL season.
21 March – Robert de Castella represents Australia at the tenth IAAF World Cross Country Championships, staged in Rome, Italy. He finished in tenth place (34:20.5) in the race over 11,978 metres.
28 March – The Newtown Jets & Canterbury Bulldogs fight out the only (to date) scoreless draw in NSWRL first grade history.
29 March – The Sydney Swans, the first VFL club outside Victoria, play their first home game at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG).
24 July – The Swans (13.12.90) defeat the North Melbourne Kangaroos (8.10.58) to win the Australian Football Championships Night Series. It is the first major trophy for the Swans since they moved to Sydney.
25 July – Robert Wallace wins his second men's national marathon title, clocking 2:16:02 in Brisbane, while Barbara McKerrow claims the women's title in 2:50:28.
25 September – Carlton Blues (14.19.103) defeat the Richmond Tigers (12.13.83) to win the 86th VFL premiership. It is the second consecutive premiership for Carlton & the last grand final appearance for 35 years for Richmond.
26 September – Minor premiers, the Parramatta Eels, defeat the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles 21-8^ to win the 75th NSWRL premiership. It is their second consecutive premiership. The Canberra Raiders, in their inaugural season, finish in last position, claiming the wooden spoon.
30 September – 9 October – The 1982 Commonwealth Games are held in Brisbane, Queensland
2 November – Gurner's Lane wins the Melbourne Cup.
18 December – The Kangaroos complete a tour of Great Britain & France undefeated for the first time.
^-Scored under outdated scoring system.
Births
8 January – Jonathan Cantwell, racing cyclist (died 2018)
14 January
Braith Anasta, rugby league player and sportscaster
Chris Heighington, rugby league player
17 February – Daniel Merriweather, singer-songwriter
18 February – Courtney Act, drag queen and singer
3 March – Brent Tate, rugby league player
15 March – Tom Budge, actor
25 April – Victoria Mitchell, long-distance runner
22 May – Erin McNaught, 2006 Miss Australia
25 May – Justin Hodges, rugby league footballer
31 May – Brett Firman, rugby league player
11 June – Reni Maitua, rugby league player
14 June – Nicole Irving, swimmer
7 June – Kurt Gidley, rugby league player
5 July – Kate Gynther, water polo player
6 July – Bree Robertson, gymnast and actress
10 July
Sam Fisher, Australian rules footballer
Jeffrey Walker, actor and director
17 July – Eve van Grafhorst, one of the first Australian children to be infected with HIV via a blood transfusion (died 1993)
21 July – Jason Cram, Australian swimmer
30 July – Yvonne Strahovski, actress
7 August – Abbie Cornish, actress
9 August – Daniel Henshall, actor
24 August – Damian Istria, gymnast
25 August – Nick Gill, Australian rules footballer
30 August – Will Davison, racing driver
7 September – George Bailey, cricketer
17 September – Wade Robson, dancer
23 September – Alyssa Sutherland, actress and model
27 September – Ella Scott Lynch, actress
13 October – Ian Thorpe, swimmer
17 October 1– Nick Riewoldt, Australian rules footballer
4 November – Travis Blackley, Major League Baseball player
5 November – Rob Swire, musician
9 November – Eloise Wellings, long-distance runner
22 November – Xavier Doherty, cricketer
13 December – Anthony Callea, entertainer
31 December – Luke Schenscher, basketball player
Melissa Leong, Australian television host and food critic
Deaths
11 February – Albert Facey, writer and soldier (b. 1894)
28 February – William Arthur, New South Wales politician (b. 1918)
17 March – Herb Graham, 4th Deputy Premier of Western Australia (b. 1911)
14 June – Sir Arthur Coles, Victorian politician, businessman and philanthropist (b. 1892)
15 November – Sir Dick Randall, public servant (b. 1906)
4 December – Harry Freedman, rabbi, author and translator (b. 1901)
See also
1982 in Australian literature
1982 in Australian television
List of Australian films of 1982
External links
References
Years of the 20th century in Australia